Festive Friday #0073

Happy Friday!

Today there is a new challenge up at Festive Friday! We're celebrating the Winter Solstice, and using our fabulous Inspo List #FF0073 to inspire us (below). If you are new to the FF Challenges, you can choose any three items (or more!) from our list to inspire your creativity. Your card does not have to be about the Winter Solstice in particular.

I chose these three items from the Inspo List: purple, snowflakes, metallics. I am so glad purple was a choice! It's a color I love to see on cards, but for some reason, I rarely use it myself! I had the large snowflake left over from another project, so cut another smaller one from Winter Snowflakes Dies (PFS) and added some confetti and metallic sequins from my stash. The background is dry embossed with a snow embossing folder. The frame and sentiment are from SSS.

I hope you will join us for this challenge. Remember, you can choose any three from the list, for any occasion or theme! And what a fun list!

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the Festive Friday Challenge Design team!

Freshly Made Sketches #463

Hello everyone! It's Wednesday, and that means a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! The very talented Amy is our hostess this week!

Usually I look at the sketch and then choose what I am going to make depending on what I think will work well with the sketch. This week I was determined to use my new stamps from Ink to Paper - this lovely Deer To Me set. I'm glad I grabbed it on the first day, as it's sold out now! I missed out on the last deer set (Winter Wonder - which is now back in stock!), so I didn't hesitate when I saw this one. Anyway, I struggled with the sketch more than I normally would because of my determination to use the deer. I had two deer, then more foliage, then fewer patterns..... but I finally settled on one deer and the sweet sentiment. I added a tiny floral sprig from the set in the corner.

I love how the deer dies have texture on them! I used patterned paper from Bo Bunny and a retired Elizabeth Crafts Design set of nested stitched rectangles to cut all of my paper and cardstock. I tied gold metallic thread around the bottom of the card.

I hope you will join our sketch challenge this week, and add your creations to our gallery! 

 

This challenge will end at 3:00 EST time on Monday, November 30th. On Tuesday, we will announce the winner of this week's challenge who will be known as the "Queen or King of Clean". The team will choose other gallery favorites to be known as a "Perfect Princess or Prince". Be sure to stop at the Freshly Made Sketches blog, and click on the names of my teammates to see what beauty they have created this week!

 

Visible Image Stamps' Dragonfly Dreams

I love a good collage stamp! Especially since I am not the most creative at putting collages together. So when it comes all neat and tidy like Dragonfly Dreams from Visible Image Stamps, I am in love!

I made a watercolor background using Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters DOX. I stamped the collage on top with VersaFine Onyx Black (my favorite Clair Nocturne went dry on me - I think I didn't close the lid tight!).

For embellishments, I added Boiled Sugar Acrylic Drops from Trinity Stamps randomly to mimic the circles in the stamped images. After adhering this panel to a textured complimentary green, I tied my favorite Gold Metallic thread (Kreinik) around the bottom of the card, and adhered everything to a black cardstock base.

This stamp set comes with the large dragonfly collage, and three different sentiments. I fit the Self Reflection sentiment right in with the collage. 

There are some GREAT DEALS at Visible Image Stamps during their Black Friday Sale -- some stamps are up to 70% off! Check it out here ---> SALE. Links to the products I have used are below.

Challenges:

• Crafty Sentiment Designs - Anything Goes

Phoenix Rising

Today I am super excited to finally be able to share one of the new releases from Visible Image Stamps! There are six new sets in this release, and I am getting inky this weekend to show you more. Today's new set is called PHOENIX RISING. I absolutely love the images and accompanying sentiments. Take a peek:

I had this background piece still on my desk from an earlier project. I made it with Nuvo Shimmer Powders. I ADORE these powders. Think Brushos with an incredible amount of shine. I used Atlantis Burst and Golden Sparkler. I have a Boomerang video on my Instagram account, where you can see the shine in my previous project with the background. (And I am fewer than TEN followers away from 1000! I would love to have you follow me there to get to my goal!). 

I stamped the Phoenix in VersaMark ink, and then embossed with WOW! Primary Ebony Embossing Powder. I did dip his tail in a hybrid mixture I made from several powders that the ashes are also embossed with. I liked the "coming from the ashes" in one ethereal look, and then bursting upward with a solid new look. The sentiment is also embossed in black. I love how it turned out!

Tune in tomorrow for another creation using new stamps from the Visible Image November Release!

25 Days of Christmas Tags with Picket Fence Studios!

 

Today Picket Fence Studios is joining Tracey McNeely and her spectacular 25 Days of Christmas Tags event. This is the 10th year! You can find all the details over on Tracey's blog, as well as the link to all of the Picket Fence Studios tag inspiration. There is so much festive fun! 

I started with the Candy Cane Lane Stencil. This is a must have and a STEAL on sale for $1.99 (link below)! I used my Life Changing Blender Brushes and Worn Lipstick DOX for a faded and subtle background. I then die cut my tag, and two layers of snow, using some shimmery white and silver cardstock. 

Next I stamped the larger elegant reindeer and holly from On A Christmas Walk, and embossed them with Clear Gloss WOW! Embossing Powder. I colored each with Copic markers, and cut them out with the Coordinating Dies. I added Blush Pink Pearls from Kaiser for my holly berries, and a few gorgeous Moonshine Sequins for bling and sparkle. These sequins are amazing! My trims are pink organza and silver cord from my stash.

Thank you to all of the amazing sponsors for this event, and to Tracey, especially for all of the fun. There are many ways to win so head on over to Tracey’s main post for all the details! So many prizes and giveaways!

I hope that you will also follow me on Instagram! I am a handful away from 1000 followers! Here is the link.